The cattle trailer specialists

It is based on more than 30 years of manufacturing that started in a small factory shed in Toowoomba.

"Cannon Trailers was started by Blue Cannon 19 years ago. The company has a focus on building sturdy cattle trailers and that focus has served to make Cannon Trailers a specialist and the leading manufacturer of cattle trailers within the demanding livestock industry in Australia," Cannon Trailers' manager Mick Bray said.

As it grew, the need for bigger premises saw Cannon Trailers move to a large factory complex on a four hectare industrial site at Crows Nest on the New England Highway, north of Toowoomba.

The family-owned company employs around 40 staff, most of whom are boilermakers by trade, together with a small administration, design and management team. Cannon Trailers are arguably the town's largest employer.

"Cattle trailers are a little bit different to other trailer types as there are a lot of man hours involved in their construction."

They have to be built to withstand the loading and unloading of walk-on freight where each animal can weigh hundreds of kilograms, they've got to be able to tolerate and contain effluent discharge and they've got to withstand some of the roughest roads and almost non-existent bush tracks.

"It has become a specialist industry," Mick Bray said.

PURPOSE BUILT: A double-decker for Armfield, with an effluent tank, internal lights and rear loading lights.

Cannon Trailers build cattle trailers in every configuration be it single trailer, B-Double, B-Triple or even triple road train combinations.

"Seventy per cent of our trailers are fitted with BPW air-bag suspension and BPW axles as they are proven performers in this industry," he said.

"We custom build our trailers and while we recommend BPW equipment we do install other systems in line with our customer's specifications.

"Many northern Australian operations prefer spring suspension sets especially for road train work in the Top End.

"We have grown from building around 30 trailers a year to 90 to 100 cattle trailers today."